Lakers grab halftime lead despite Kobe’s lack of scoring

The Lakers held a 48-46 halftime lead, inching in front on Devean George’s 3-pointer with 2.5 seconds left.

Lakers star Kobe Bryant scored his first basket of the game with 5:15 left in the second quarter by finishing a fast break after a Spurs turnover. That turned out to be the only time he scored in the first half. He did have four assists and two rebounds in the half.

The Lakers outscored the Spurs 11-2 to start the second quarter and move in front 34-28.

Rasho Nesterovic helped the Spurs get untracked on offense. Nesterovic, who didn’t score in the first quarter, scored eight points in a span of less than six minutes in the second period. He hit back-to-back short jump shots late in the half to put the Spurs in front 44-43.

Dion Glover scored his first basket of the game at the end of a fast break with 1:02 left in the half. Glover, who is in his second 10-day contract with the Spurs, entered the game when Brent Barry had to go to the bench because he was bleeding.

Caron Butler led the Lakers with 13 points. Robert Horry had nine points for the Spurs.

The team had a combined 23 turnovers in the half – 12 by the Lakers and 11 by the Spurs.